A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 198 – Subpart 200
The Fortresse of Cusco Described.
One of the Incas of Peru built a fort, that may rather seem the work of Devils than of men, especially considering that these Indians had neither Iron, nor steel to work, and cut the stones with, nor Cart, nor Oxen to draw them: yet was this Fort built with stones that seemed Rocks, rather than stones, drawn by strength of men with great Cables, and that through uneven ways, in rough mountains: many of them being brought from places that were ten, twelve, and some fifteen Leagues off: especially that stone which the Indians called VVearied, which was brought fifteen Leagues, and over a great river in the way: The most of them came five Leagues off these stones they joined so close together in the building, that the joynts could scarcely bee discerned, which required often lifting up, and setting down, neither could they make Cranes, or any kind of Engines to help them therein, neither had they square, or Rule to direct their work. Instead of mortar they used a kinde of Clay that held faster.
This Fortresse was built on an hill on the North side of the City of Cusco, the hill was so steep on one side, that that way it could not bee assaulted, and therefore one wall served on that side, which was two hundred fathoms long: On the other sides they made three walls, one without another, each being above two hundred fathoms, and were made in the fashion of an half Moon, in which there were stones admirably great: each wall had in the middest one gate, which was covered over with one entire stone: each wall stood thirty foot distant from the other, and at the top of them the battlements were above a yard high: Within those walls there were three strong forts, the middlemost was round, which had in it a Conduit of very good water, brought under ground from far. The walls were all adorned with gold and silver, and had Images of beasts, birds, and Plants enchased therein, which served instead of Tapestry, the other two Forts were square, and they had passages under ground from one to another, artificially made with Labarinthian windings, and turnings, inextricable but by a thread.
They drew their great stones with great Cables: To draw the stone which they called Wearied, they had twenty thousand Indians, the one half before, the other behind, and yet in one uneven passage it crushed three or four thousand of them to death. This proved so unweildy that they never laid it in the building, Pur. Pil. v. 4. p. 1478.
Another of the Incas to shew his magnificence, caused a chain of gold to bee made, which was seven hundred foot long, and every link as big as a mans wrist, two hundred Indians could but lift it.
Caxamalca, another City in Peru, is four miles in circuit, entered by two gates▪ on the one side stands a great Palace walled about, having within it a great Court planted with trees: this they call The house of the Sun, whom they worship, putting off their shooes when they enter into it: in this City there are two thousand houses; the streets are as strait as a line, the walls are strong; built of stone about three fathoms high; within there are fair fountains of water. In the middest is a very fair street walled about, having before it a fortress of stone. On one side of this street was the Palace of the …n…as, or Emperor, with lodgings and Gardens: the houses were all painted with diverse colours, and in one room were two great Fountains adorned with plates of Gold: one of them was so hot that a man cannot endure his hand in it, the other was cold. Atabalipa was Emperour when the Spaniards took it, from whom they presently got fifty thousand Pezoes of gold, each of them being worth one ducat, and two Carolines, and seven thousand Marks of silver, besides many Emeralds.
The Spaniards asked Atabalipa what he would give them for his ransome? Hee told them that hee would fill that room with Gold, to a mark, that was higher than a tall man could reach by a span, the room being five and twenty foot long, and fifteen foot broad: Then they asked him how much silver hee would give besides: Hee answered, as much as ten thousand Indians could carry in vessels of silver of diverse sorts. The Spaniards went to Cusco to receive part of it, where they found a Temple of the Sun covered with plates of gold: as also many pots and vessels of gold, yea there was such store of gold as amazed them, especially one seat which weighed ninteen thousand Pezoes of gold: In another room the pavement, and walls were covered with plates of gold and silver, they found also a great house full of pots, and tubs of silver: The Spaniards having worn out their horses shooes in their travel, caused the Indians to shooe them with gold. In the City of Pachalchami, they found an Image with many Emeralds at his feet fastened in gold, Idem p. 1490.
Peru is plentiful in all manner of grain; hath civil Inhabitants, many Cities, and an healthful air. It hath store of Tobacco, first brought into England by some Marriners, Anno Christi 1585. the use whereof is now grown too common. It abounds above all other Provinces with gold and silver. In this Countrey is the river of Plate, one hundred and fifty miles broad at the mouth, and two thousand miles long. In it also is a beast that hath a bag in her neck, into which shee puts her young ones when any body approaches, and so runs away with them, there is also a sort of fig-trees, of which they write that the Northside that stands towards the Mountains, bringeth forth fruit in the Summer only: and the Southside towards the Sea is fruitfull only in winter. Atabalipa King of this Countrey being taken prisoner by the Spaniards, was forced to redeem his life, with an house full of refined gold and silver, judged to bee worth ten millions, which when they had received, they perfidiously slew him.
The admirable High-waies in Peru described.
In Peru in the West-Indies are two admirable High-wayes made by the Ingas, or Emperours: The one is by the Andes, or Forrests from Pasto unto Chile, being nine hundred Leagues long, the Cawsey five and twenty foot broad; and every four leagues hath a stately house, where was provision of victuals, and apparel, and every half League, men that stood ready to carry messages, and orders from hand to hand. The other way was thorow the Plains along the coast, of twenty five foot broad, and on each side a wall of a mans height from Piura, to Chile, where both the wayes met. This latter way was between trees that yeelded a very pleasant shadow in those hot Countries, and both of them began at the imperial City of Cuzco. P. Pil. v. 3. p. 887, 888.
The Emperors Garden described.
There belonged also to the Incas a Garden of silver, and gold, wherein were many sorts of Herbs, Flowers, Plants, Trees, Beasts, great and small, Snakes, Snails, Lizzards, Butterflies, small and great Birds, each set in their places all of gold: They had also Maiz, Quinua; Pulse, Fruit-trees, with fruit on them all of gold, and silver, resembling the natural. In the Incas house they had heaps of wood all counterfeit of gold, and silver. All the vessels (which were infinite) for the Temple-service, Pots, Pans, Tubs, Hogsheads were of gold, and silver, yea the spades▪ and pickaxes, for the Garden were of the same. At the taking of this City by the Spaniards, the Image of the Sun fell to one Captains share, who lost it one night at dice, whereupon they said, That hee had played away the Sun before it was up. P. Pil. v. 4. p. 1464, &c.